Flat Out Awesome

As a tall person with a fear of heel-induced heights, I admit I'm a total sucker for flats. Fashionable wedge-less sneakers? Check. Ballet flats? Got 'em. Brogues? Ditto. Round toe or pointed, leather or canvas, dainty or mannish – if they're shy a heel, then they're most likely on my shoe rack.

It's been a long time since women have been able to wear flats without being considered tomboys so this isn't a post on the revolutionary idea of a walkable yet feminine shoe. Rather, I'm taking this opportunity to focus particularly on some new or refurbished shoe shapes that you might not have considered adding to your closet yet. For example Vince recently branched out from just clothing into footwear and their efforts have yielded some pretty nifty results. Observe:

The Iona 2 is a sort of slip-on desert shoe. Its perforated leather base is both contemporary and sporty which nicely makes way for the elastic inserts. It looks and feels like a real traveler's shoe being that it has an androgynous shape and seems to retain the quality of looking better with wear. The closed season-less shape even allows you to wear it well past the summer months.

Vince. IONA 2 Shoe

The silhouette of the Nina shoe might look familiar. Jenni Kayne can be credited with the proliferation of her D'Orsay Flat back in 2011 (especially with the help of Jessica Alba who was seen wearing it in a range of colors) but the design doesn't seem to have lost traction as it's still attracting buyers and even getting a few updates like ankle straps and fun prints or textures. Vince's version comes in a classic black leather and acts as both a low key sort of shoe and one suitable for a work setting; a trait achieved by the perfect ratio of covered to exposed skin.

Vince. NINA Shoe

Joie added footwear to its long list of laid back, yet fashionable products back in 2007. This season their designers brought us plenty of sandals and wearable heels to go with just about anything we're planning on wearing once the sun comes out. Of note is their Hemlock shoe which is a delightful little espadrille married with a lace-up. The peachy nude python embossed leather makes it an easy pairing for sundresses and beach get-ups alike.

JOIE Hemlock shoe

Anyway – heeled story flat, try the shorter side of footwear and browse the pieces mentioned above on SINGER22.com!